This invention relates to a hemmer attachment for use with a sewing machine.
A hemmer attachment comprises guiding walls, usually scroll-like, arranged to fold a margin of a body of fabric or material to form a hem, which is then sewn on a sewing machine. The margin of the body of material is usually circular; for example, the bottom of a closed ladies' dress, or a closed sleeve of a blouse, or a closed cuff on a pair of pants. When material is folded and sewn into a hem on such a closed, circular path, the material passing through the hemmer returns to its starting point; that is, it catches up with itself. At that point, the material is trapped in the hemmer. A device which is capable of releasing the hemmed material is known as a "split hemmer" in the art. In a split hemmer, the guiding walls comprise a stationary outer portion and a movable inner portion which is normally mated with the outer portion. When it is desired to release the hemmed material, the inner portion is either slid (translated) or rotated away from the stationary outer portion, permitting the hemmed material to be removed. In either type of split hemmer, the clearances are such as to make the removal of the hemmed material awkward.